Please Don't Tell Her
by annagray
Summary: She's perfectly happy how things are, or so she tells herself. She's lying. She's been lying for some time now. She doesn't want to hear words of love, she doesn't want that kind of relationship at all. So please don't tell her.


**Author's Notes: The first story, hopefully of many. I'm not sure that this actually flows, but I had to get this song out of my head. The play count for this song on my computer is now 174!**

******UPDATE: I changed the some grammatical errors and I have changed this story to complete because I couldn't figure out how to do it the first time…whoops!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice, only the events that take place in this story.**

"Please Don't Tell Her"

By Jason Mraz

I hear she's kicking ass across the board and rock two hundred thousand higher scorer

Just in time to save the world of being taken over

She's a warrior

He'd always watched Artemis train. Yes, always. It isn't something he'll admit to just anyone but it's true. Even when they had been at odds during that brief stint when the only thing the two of them had done was argued (Dick likes to call that period of time 'foreplay'). It had been obvious that she had been trained before joining the team, even more obvious that she had been trained well.

All that training with the team and the league, and don't forget the nighttime excursions to the training room (and his room), had been good for her. Of course he'd noticed she had a rocking body, he had been a hormonal teenage boy when they had met. But now her physique was amazing and now he was a hormone filled man. And yes, he was a man, although that didn't seem to stop her from calling him Kid (insert insult here).

Wally had plenty of adjectives to describe Artemis too. They played the game of wit with each other, who could outsmart the other. He's particularly fond of the first time she had seen him naked, walking in on him in the shower.

Always the observer, her eyes had zeroed in on the batman insignia tattooed on his ass. Rather than asking him to explain, he would have answered his best friend was a giant troll, she made cheeky comment, "What is that the tribal sign for douche or something?"

Wally turned around to grin at her, his blush hidden by the steam of the hot water running down his back. He mumbled, "Or something" and pulled her into the shower with him.

He still couldn't believe, after all this time, she had willingly let him pull her into the shower Most of their games ended that way, thrown into the wall by the other, lips meeting, and body's flush against one another. There was always another game, another chance, or so he thought.

I couldn't play again because the game it never ended it never even landed on the can

And never let me in to spend my quarter

There's no love for me no more

Wally had offered up stuff about himself that he had never told to anyone, not even Dick, especially not Dick, but Artemis remained extremely guarded about her past, even after revealing her substandard family tree. He can't help but think that her mysteriousness might be one of the main reasons they may have missed their chance at having a real romantic relationship, but it's also one of the many reasons he's drawn to her, like a moth to a light.

They do have a relationship though. She likes _that_ kind of relationship, and he tries to convince himself that having _that_ kind of relationship with her is enough, that teasing her one minute and then pouncing on her the next is enough but it isn't. Wally's ask her out countless times, always to be shot down either figuratively or literally (sometimes both) with one of her wicked arrows. She tells him no, always interrupting him before he can finish, which hello is kind of his thing, she tells him she doesn't want hear, she likes what they have, "So please don't tell me."

He wants the real deal and although it hasn't been offered he plans to get it. Wally would follow that woman anywhere, but it seemed she didn't want to be caught, especially by the fastest man in the world. It didn't matter he would make her see she's his anchor and in their line of work he needs someone, no not someone, her, to keep him on the ground.

Say it isn't so

How she easily come, and she easy go

Please don't tell her that I've been meaning to miss her

Because I don't

She hadn't met him on the best terms, and somehow she always seems to leave for a mission after they've had an argument, departing on worse terms. Artemis did tend to do rash things when she was insecure about something, sometimes channeling her insecurity into anger. That was what scared him the most. He had let her go and while it hadn't been real it was the worst thing that had ever happened to him.

She was the girl with the broadest shoulders

But she would die before I crawled over them

She is taller than I am

She knew I wouldn't mind the view there

Or the altitude with a mouth full of air

She let me down the doubt came out until the now became later

Well second worse. Dick had volunteered to tell him, not at all eager to tell his best friend what had happened, but he hadn't even managed to get the words out before bile had started to rise in his throat and Wally was shouting.

"NO NO NO NO NO!"

He had cried and the fifteen year old he had once been might have been ashamed that he was crying for the harpy, but he wasn't that person anymore. He was a twenty-one year old man.

"This is all m-my fault" he choked on his words.

Say that it isn't so

How she easily come, how she easy go

Please don't tell her that

'Cause she don't really need to know

The league and the team had given him space, but Barbara could only take so much wallowing, self-pity, recklessness, and stupidity. She found him standing on the one of tallest building in Gotham, which isn't good because he's never been one for heights, he likes his feet planted firmly on the ground. He looked horrible, with dark circles under his eyes, and it was obvious by the red scruff on his chin that he hadn't thought about taking care of himself much. She drags him back to the batcave so they can have a one-sided conversation in private, and shes beyond glad that he's too tired to put up a fight, because she really can't deal with that right now, not when her friend might never walk again. She could never imagine what that would feel like, but she would trade places with Artemis a hundred times if she could…

Barbara put on her best motherly voice and boarded the long train to knock some sense into Wally. "Listen Wally, I know you're upset, but do you really think Artemis would want you to go after her dad? Do her some justice she can take him down when she recovers."

He hadn't gone to see her yet, scared of what he might find. Artemis' mind was locked in a never ending battle with herself for the past three days after her surgery, upset at herself for going in without backup. Barbra could see his mind was elsewhere, but he had to stop this. He was going to get himself killed.

His eyes shot up to look at her, and even in the dreary and dowdy interior of the batcave she can see his green irises surrounded by red veins. Shit had she said that out loud.

"Wally looking for the sick bastard that did this is endearing, but Artemis doesn't need that right now. Right now all she needs is you." His eyes were again cast down on the ground. "Wally she wants to see you. She's been asking-" she stopped short. "She doesn't like people fawning over her, Wally she just needs some space from everyone."

"I am giving her space." His voice is hoarse and it sounds like that awful sound nails make against a chalkboard, her eyebrows shoot up in worry this isn't the Wally she knows, then again she isn't the same person either. This new world is changing them and she isn't sure if it's for the better or not.

"Wally you're not everyone, you never have been." Barbara knows she can finally get some rest because the look he gives her tells her she's won and he's gone in a flash to see the woman he loves.

That I'm crazy like the rest of us

And I'm crazier when I'm next to her

He seemed to put his foot in his mouth a lot. Superboy pointed that out as soon as he established a sense of humor. He also found the need to point out the fact that Wally seemed to put his foot in his mouth a hell of a lot more whenever Artemis was around. Shes very honed in the art of tripping him up and leaving him speechless, just like she is right now.

So why after the all of everything that came and went

I care enough to still be singing of the bitter end and broken eras

I told you I don't but

I am only trying to be the best with my intent to cure

The rest is sure to lay me ease the plural hurts of the words of reverse psychology

That's easier said

Easier than done

Please don't dare tell her what I've become

Please don't mention all the attention I have drawn

Please don't bother cause she'll feel guilty when I'm gone

It's the first time he's seen her since the accident, since their fight. God, I'm an idiot, he thinks. He seen her beat up before, it comes along with the job, but he's never seen her like this. All the scratches and scrapes never compared to all this. She's always been something of anomaly to him especially right now. How, he wonders, can someone look so strong, but so very breakable at the same time, fierce, but, delicate. Shes covered in bandages and there are burns and bruises marring her perfectly, imperfect skin and the prominent features of her face. Shes wearing hospital gown, a pair of his boxers, and a smile at the sight of him.

He claims the seat next to her on the bed and gathers her in his arms. There will be time for arguments, angry words, and raised voices later, right now he just wants to hold her and whisper word of love and sweet nothing in her ear.

Because I'm crazy like the rest of us

But I'm crazier when I'm next to her

And it's amazing how she's so self-assured

But I know she'd hate me if she knew my words

Do I hurt anymore

Do I hurt, well

I don't

I don't

I don't

She's been lying to herself for a long time. She's never felt worthy of his love, she's had an awful past and he deserves someone so much better. Shes ignored everything that might turn into a real relationship for the two of them. It's taken two near-death experiences to finally open her eyes. Shes made a life for herself, a good life, that could lead to a good future, a future with him. She doesn't have the strength to push him away anymore, so she tells herself to stop lying even though that all shes ever known, but that isn't true either. What is true are the arms circled around her, so she snuggles into his chest to go to sleep. And it's the best sleep either of them has gotten in years.

**Author Note: Again I'm not sure how well this flows. Constructive criticism is very welcome, I know I'm new to this and I'm eager to improve my writing. My friends and I actually say "Is that the tribal sign for douche?" I just had to add it!**


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